Embodiments herein generally relate to printing devices (i.e., printers, printing engines, printing apparatuses, etc., including but not limited to, electrostatographic printers and copiers, bookmaking machines, facsimile machines, multi-function machines, or any other device which performs a print outputting function for any purpose) and more particularly, to a system and method for selecting printing devices and further for placing selected printing devices at optimal locations within a particular document production environment.
Generally, a printing infrastructure refers to the various printing devices contained and operating within a document production environment (e.g., an office space or building). Various tools are available for creating a customized printing infrastructure for a particular document production environment. Specifically, these tools can model a customer's current document production environment (including, but not limited to, the customer's document production requirements, the customer's current printing infrastructure and current document output) and can further make suggestions to modify the current printing infrastructure (e.g., see U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20060178917 of Merriam et al., published on Aug. 10, 2006, assigned to Xerox Corporation, Norwalk, Conn., USA, and incorporated herein by reference). These tools can focus on selecting particular printing devices that will accommodate the customer's document production requirements, while minimizing costs. Conventionally, once printing devices are selected, the decision of where to place them within the particular document production environment is done manually. However, because the selected printing devices may provide different capabilities, have different volume constraints, support a varying number of users, etc., it can be difficult to determine the best locations for placing the printing devices within the document production environment in order to most efficiently service end user needs.
Recently, tools have been developed that not only assist with printing device selection, but also with placement. For example, the above-referenced application, U.S. Ser. No. 12/488,857 filed on Jun. 22, 2009, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,559,035 on Oct. 15, 2013, provides a tool that optimizes printing device selection and placement. Specifically, this tool identifies, within a given space (e.g., an office space or building), defined areas (e.g., printing hot spots) that represent groups of users and the document volumes they output by type (e.g., copy, print, scan, fax, etc) and by capability (e.g., color, finishing, security, etc.). Then, each defined area is matched with a suitable printing device. The most advantageous location for placing the selected printing device within the defined area (i.e., the optimal location, the location that will most efficiently service the needs of end users) is then determined based on a mathematical formula. However, the mathematical formula does not consider the actual physical structures (e.g., walls, staircases, elevators or other fixed and/or non-fixed features) or restricted-use areas (i.e., areas identified as being unsuitable for printing device placement either by convention, such as rest rooms, or by customer specification (e.g., particular offices, reception areas, etc.)) within the defined area. Consequently, placement of the selected printing device in the most advantageous location, as determined by the mathematical formula, may not be feasible or suitable.
In view of the foregoing, disclosed herein are embodiments of a system and an associated method that can be used to select an advantageous, feasible and suitable final location for placing a selected printing device within a given space. The embodiments can use a mathematical formula to identify a most advantageous location for placing the selected printing device. Next, successive contour regions surrounding this most advantageous location can be defined such that any inner contour region (i.e., any contour region closer to the most advantageous location) is considered more advantageous than any outer contour region. A mark representing the most advantageous location and contour lines indicating the successive contour regions can be plotted onto a floor plan of the space. The floor plan, as edited, can then be evaluated (e.g., either visually by a user or automatically) to determine whether the mark overlaps any fixed shapes and/or restricted-use areas in the floor plan. If the mark overlaps a fixed shape or restricted-use area, a final location can be selected that is different from, but within a closest possible contour region to, the most advantageous location without overlapping any other fixed shapes or restricted-use areas. Thus, the final location will be as advantageous as possible, while still being feasible and suitable.
More particularly, disclosed herein are embodiments of a printing device selection and placement system. The system embodiments can comprise at least a memory device, a processor and a floor plan plotter.
The memory device can store a digital version of a floor plan of a space (e.g., a document production environment, such as an office space or building). The floor plan can include fixed shapes (e.g., architectural components of the space or permanent fixtures within the space), restricted-use areas (e.g., rest rooms, particular offices, reception areas, etc.) and non-fixed shapes (e.g., furnishings and other movable features in the space).
The processor can select one or more printing devices for placing within the space. For example, the processor can identify a defined area within the space, can establish printing volume and capability requirements for the defined area and, for that defined area, can select one or more printing device(s) to accommodate those printing volume and capability requirements. The processor can further determine a first location within the space and, particularly, within the defined area of the space, for placing a selected printing device. This first location can be determined such that it is the most advantageous location within the defined area for placing the selected printing device. Specifically, this first location can be determined based on a mathematical formula that uses, for example, Euclidean distances or walking distances. Finally, the processor can define successive contour regions surrounding this first location. These successive contour regions can comprise at least a first contour region immediately adjacent to and surrounding the first location and a second contour region immediately adjacent to and surrounding the first contour region. Thus, the first contour region can comprise a more advantageous region for placing the printing device than the second contour region. It should be noted that the same mathematical formula used to determine the first location can be expanded and used, by the processor, to define these successive contour regions.
The floor plan plotter can be operatively connected to both the memory device and the processor. The plotter can access the floor plan from the memory device and can form, on the floor plan, a mark representing the first location for placing the printing device within the defined area of the space and also contour lines indicating the successive contour regions around the first location.
The floor plan, as edited, can then be evaluated in order to select an advantageous, feasible and suitable final location for placing the selected printing device within the defined area of the space. Evaluation of the floor plan can be performed manually or automatically. Specifically, the system embodiments can comprise a display displaying a visual representation of the floor plan with the mark and the contour lines and/or a printer outputting a printed copy of the floor plan with the mark and the contour lines. The displayed visual representation of the edited floor plan and/or the printed copy of the edited floor plan can be evaluated by a user to determine whether the mark overlaps a fixed shape or restricted-use area. If the mark overlaps a fixed shape or a restricted-use area, the user can select a second location for placing the printing device that is different from the first location and that is in a closest possible contour region to the first location without overlapping any other fixed shapes or restricted use areas in the floor plan. Additionally, the displayed visual representation of the edited floor plan and/or the printed copy of the edited floor plan can be further evaluated by the user to determine whether the mark overlaps any non-fixed shapes. If the mark overlaps a non-fixed shape, the user can determine whether the non-fixed shape or the printing device should remain at the first location and, if necessary, can select a second location for placing the selected printing device. This second location should be different from the first location and in a closest possible contour region to the first location without overlapping any fixed shapes, restricted-use areas or other non-fixed shapes in the floor plan. Additionally and/or alternatively, the system embodiments can comprise a floor plan evaluator that automatically performs these same evaluation functions.
Also disclosed herein are embodiments of an associated printing device selection and placement method. The method embodiments can comprise storing, in memory, a digital version of a floor plan of a space. The floor plan can include fixed shapes (e.g., architectural components of the space or permanent fixtures within the space), restricted-use areas (e.g., rest rooms, particular offices, reception areas, etc.) and non-fixed shapes (e.g., furnishings and other movable features in the space).
One or more printing devices can be selected, by a processor, for placing within the space. For example, a defined area within the space can be identified, the printing volume and capability requirements for the defined area can be established, and one or more printing devices can be selected to accommodate those printing volume and capability requirements.
Next, a first location for placing a selected printing device the defined area of the space can be determined, by the processor, based on a mathematical formula that uses, for example, Euclidean or walking distances.
Next, successive contour regions are defined, by the processor, such that they comprise at least a first contour region immediately adjacent to and surrounding the first location and a second contour region immediately adjacent to and surrounding the first contour region. Thus, as defined, the first contour region will be a more advantageous region for placing the selected printing device than the second contour region. It should be noted the same mathematical formula used to determine the first location can be expanded and used, by the processor, to define these successive contour regions.
Then, a mark representing the first location and contour lines indicating the successive contour regions are formed, by a floor plan plotter, on the floor plan. The floor plan, as edited, can then be evaluated in order to select an advantageous, feasible and suitable final location for placing the selected printing device within the defined area of the space. This evaluation process can be performed manually by a user or automatically by a floor plan evaluator within printing device selection and placement system.
Specifically, the method embodiments can comprise displaying, on a display, a visual representation of the edited floor plan (i.e., the floor plan with the mark and the contour lines) and/or outputting, by a printer, a printed copy of the edited floor plan. The displayed visual representation of the edited floor plan and/or the printed copy of the edited floor plan can be evaluated by a user to determine whether the mark overlaps a fixed shape or restricted-use area. If the mark overlaps a fixed shape or restricted area, the user can select a second location for placing the selected printing device that is different from the first location and that is in a closest possible contour region to the first location without overlapping any other fixed shapes or restricted-use areas in the floor plan. Additionally, the displayed visual representation of the edited floor plan and/or the printed copy of the edited floor plan can be further evaluated by the user to determine whether the mark overlaps any non-fixed shapes. If the mark overlaps a non-fixed shape, the user can determine whether the non-fixed shape or the selected printing device should remain at the first location and, if necessary, select a second location that is different from the first location. The second location should be in a closest possible contour region to the first location without overlapping any fixed shapes, restricted-use areas or other non-fixed shapes in the floor plan.
Additionally and/or alternatively, the method embodiments can comprise using a floor plan evaluation within a printing device selection and placement system to automatically perform these evaluation functions. That is, the method embodiments can comprise automatically evaluating the edited floor plan to determine whether the mark overlaps a fixed shape or a restricted use area. If the mark overlaps a fixed shape or a restricted-use area, a second location for placing the selected printing device can be automatically selected such that the second location is different from the first location and is in a closest possible contour region to the first location without overlapping any other fixed shapes in the floor plan. Optionally, the method embodiments can further comprise automatically determining whether the mark overlaps any non-fixed shapes in the floor plan. If the mark overlaps a non-fixed shape, a determination can automatically be made, based on predetermined criteria, as to whether the non-fixed shape or the selected printing device should remain at the first location and, if necessary, select a second location that is different from the first location. The second location should be in a closest possible contour region to the first location without overlapping any fixed shapes, restricted-use areas or other non-fixed shapes in the floor plan.
Finally, also disclosed herein are embodiments of a computer program product. This computer program product can comprise a computer usable medium having computer useable program code embodied therewith. The computer usable program code can be specifically configured to perform the above-described printing device selection and placement method.
These and other features are described in, or are apparent from, the following detailed description.